That is the question is it not? Do you choose what you do everyday or is your DNA? Does it even matter? In short, do we have free will?

People who argue that we do have free will point out that DNA is hardly sentient, has only four coded letters, and only changes over generations anyway and so can hardly explain how quickly behaviors and attidtudes can change over generations. Further, they point out that our decesions, our thoughts, are handled in the brain.

Or are they? What built the brain? That would be the DNA. Your brain, which is to say the decesions and emotions that result from the proper or improper function of the brain, is a mix of chemicals and nuerotransmissions. Both of which are regulated by your genetic code. So you could say that base reactions and emotions are pre-programmed by DNA.

This explains your nature, which is undeniably the product of DNA, but what about nurture? What if I fear fire because I was burned by it, not because I am just afraid of it? This is still DNA. You DNA provides this base equation, pain=fear, granted anger can come out of there too, but that is beside the point. In short, if it hurt me, I will fear it.

Even complex decesions, like what book to read, are decided by you genetics. Your bodies chemicals, whose portions are determined by DNA give you a mood, which makes you choose one thing over another. DNA wins again.

As to DNA’s response over generations, while the chromosomes themselves change very slowly, the epigenome can change inside of a single generation. The epigenome controls the expression of genes. Think of it like an on/off switch and a brightness control, it can respond to stimuli in a generation and turn off, on, or adjust the intensity of genes accordingly.

So in other words, you are controlled by your DNA. But that doesnt matter, because you are your DNA, or more accurately, it is you. It is making the decesions you would have anyway, becuase it is the “you” in the situation.